Mary Grierson

Mary Grierson (1912-) is a prolific British botanical artist with a career spanning many decades. Grierson first worked as a Women’s Auxiliary Air Force flight officer during World War II, and later as a cartographer. She became the official botanical illustrator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1960 until the early 1970s, and received five gold medals for her illustrations from the Royal Horticultural Society. Additionally, her work has been featured on postage stamps, as well as designs for the Franklin Mint.

Grierson's paintings are part of the collections of many prominent institutions, including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She has illustrated numerous books, including Mountain Flowers, The Genus Cyclamen, P.F. Hunt’s magnificent Orchidaceæ, The Country Life of Orchids, An English Florilegium, A Hawaiian Florilegium, and Hellebores among others.